DTC Connected Service · Design Research

Research · Prelim themes

analysis happening now - week of Apr 22

• I don’t see overt risk in a connected service, but lots of detail to tease out in the conversations about how to move forward

• Folks are articulating what a high stakes time this is, and that folks in digital roles achieving outcomes is a primary strategy for gaining/sustaining transformation buy-in and investment from Sr. Leaders - strong hires/vendors that are a good ‘fit’ for the work that needs to get done are critical in this moment in time

  • have collected some helpful stories around current state pain points for us to explore together

• Folks are trending toward hiring-forward org strategies (“bring the brains back” TLee), but still greatly value vendors - hearing very intentional strategies and rationale to explore together re: when & why people hire vs. procure

  • bang for buck: vendors 2x the cost, with rates rising

  • combined with high volume of quality job applications, at present

  • with business continuity/knowledge management top of mind - long term thinking, org health, sustainability

  • and a strategic preference toward hiring junior and growing folks, vs. exclusively brining folks in as 27s/30s

• Strong theme around moving away from rigid/standalone teams toward blended orgs: “service thinking” e.g. digital folk collaborating with policy and program area roles to deliver that policy

• Good insights around what’s driving behaviour - fiscal year x time to hire is a big one, lots of factors beyond their control can create urgency to acquire talent, from new/changing gov priorities to leadership changes to supporting new legislation to seasonal factors (e.g. parks, emergency response, wildfire)

• Lots of detail shared around hiring and procuring nuances that I’ll need your help making sense of next week onwards

• “and more”